Russia seeks more military presence in Kyrgyzstan
Published: 21 June, 2010, 17:39
Edited: 23 June, 2010, 05:07
Kant air base, Kyrgyzstan
TAGS: Military, Drugs, Central Asia, Afghanistan
Russia is suggesting creating a military base in Kyrgyzstan to fight drug trafficking through it from neighboring Afghanistan. The drug flow is among the causes for destabilized situation in the country, Moscow believes.
“A massive Afghan drug stream flows through Kyrgyzstan. Osh, Kyrgyz Jalal-Abad – the Fergana Valley itself is the region that is drawn into the drug trafficking,” the head of Russia’s Federal Drug Enforcement body, Viktor Ivanov said Monday.
“My suggestion – create a Russian military base on Kyrgyz territory. In my opinion, this will allow to do effective work in battling drug delivery channels in the country,” he said.
Russia already has Kant air military base in Kyrgyzstan, just 20 kilometers east of the country’s capital Bishkek. The base hosts Russia’s Air Force and serves the needs of the Collective Security Treaty Organization.
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It is much too late in materializing... This action should have been taken long, long time ago. Unfortunately, not all CSTO countries have had the foresight, and were unable to put aside their petty differences to act earlier. Kyrgizstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan all have responsiblity for letting things slide this far. It has been known already for years that the production of drugs in Afghanistan has reached industrial proportions. These drugs affected Central Asia as a pandemic, worse then any other disease that hit the region in the past. Kyrgizstan was oblivious to the problem, as the former President had a bit too much self-confidence in his ability to control the south where he hails from. Uzbekistan and Tajikistan both demured at the need to act and stop the drugs. The problem with drugs is two fold. First, it creates wealthy drug barons in these countries, and these often take advantabe of fundamentalism to get themselves interjected into politics and buy protection. Second, it destroys the young through addiction. And, as demonstrated in the attacks on helpless civilians, eyewitness accounts point to heavily drugged youth committing unspeakable crimes. Whoever profits from this chaos, is doing it with drugs. Cheap, plentifull and even free drugs from Afghanistan. This is a different kind of war. When will the region wake up to its dangers?
Russians, please, think twice before you start any actions in this directions. I am not saying that idea of having military base in Kyrgyzstan is necessarily two bad (though, I, personally, think that having Russian military bases outside of Russia is bad idea), but, I worry about timing. Right now this is really not the best time to do it.












The very existence of Russia is in peril. Smiles between Presidents will not prevent the masters of the US think-tanks, working with NATO, from acting to destabilize the whole of Central Asia and balkanize Russia.